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Schwarzenegger names key transportation appointments

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced appointments to key transportation posts Thursday, including the reappointment of former Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle to the California High-Speed Rail Authority board.

Pringle, who currently heads the panel overseeing development of the state's $43-billion San Francisco-to-Anaheim rail system, was one of two prominent board members scrutinized this fall by the state attorney general for serving in multiple offices that could have clashing financial and other interests.

Pringle served simultaneously on the board of the rail authority, on the Orange County Transportation Authority and as mayor of Anaheim.

Pringle termed out of the mayor's office -- and his seat on the Orange County transportation board -- earlier this month.

Along with Pringle, Schwarzenegger also named Thomas Richards and Matthew Toledo to the rail authority board.

Richards, 61, of Fresno, is the president of the real estate development firm Penstar Group. Toledo, 48, of Malibu, is the publisher of the Los Angeles Business Journal and the head of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Also Thursday, Schwarzenegger appointed former congresswoman and Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Burke to the state Transportation Commission.

During her 16 years on the Board of Supervisors, Burke headed the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, where she was involved in labor negotiations during a transit strike.

Burke, 78, was California's first black congresswoman. She served in the state Assembly from 1967 to 1972, in Congress from 1972 to 1978 and on the University of California Board of Regents from 1986 to 1992.

Her appointment must be confirmed by the state Senate. The appointments to the rail authority board do not require Senate confirmation.